When close competitors in the hospitality industry cut their prices, the temptation for hotel operators is to follow with reductions of their own. While that strategy pays off in increased occupancy, it usually reduces revenue per available room, or RevPAR, among all hotels in a market area. That’s the latest finding from the Cornell Center… Continue Reading Less can mean more for hotel owners

Will there be, as rumored, a presentation about the newly minted U.S. Olympic Committee deal at today’s informal City Council meeting? The answer is yes, no or maybe. Here’s what the agenda says. “In accord with the City Charter Art. III, §3-60(d) and its incorporated Colorado Open Meetings Act, §24-6-402(4)(a,b,e), C.R.S., the City Council, in Open Session, is… Continue Reading USOC, or US no see?

Apparently undeterred by the failure of Issue 1A during April, during its informal meeting this afternoon, City Council will consider whether to ask the voters to extend the 0.665 mill levy once again come November. The mill levy originally supported the 1989 bonds which funded Powers Boulevard and the Police Operations Center. Unless renewed by the… Continue Reading Mill levy extension redo in November?

Microsoft Corp. is giving a select group of technology-savvy testers an early peek at Office 2010, but it’s keeping free new Web-based versions of programs such as Word and Excel under wraps a little while longer. Today’s launch of this “technical preview” indicates Office 2010 is still on track for release in the early part… Continue Reading Office 2010 test opens; free Web versions later

Oil prices rose above $60 a barrel today, halting last week’s falling trend, as investors turned to commodities for protection against a weaker dollar and after attacks on oil facilities in Nigeria. By mid-afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for August delivery was up 19 cents to $60.08 a barrel in electronic trading on the New… Continue Reading Oil tops $60 a barrel

Job cuts in the technology sector declined significantly during the second quarter, possibly signaling a turnaround for an industry that has been impacted heavily by the recession. Planned layoffs announced by employers in the computer, electronics and telecommunications industries totaled 33,891 during the quarter ending June 30, according to global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. That… Continue Reading Tech job cuts both ways

The 1.4 million-square-foot Intel facility at 1500 Garden of the Gods Road is under contract to be purchased. Following a due diligence site visit last month, Industrial Realty Group of Los Angeles submitted its proposal to Intel, and a September closing is anticipated, said Grubb & Ellis Quantum Commercial Group broker Michael Palmer, marketing representative… Continue Reading Intel building under purchase contract

Colorado Springs drivers may have their kamikaze moments, but they have apparently racked up some impressive safe driving statistics. In fact the city ranked tenth in the country according to the latest Allstate Insurance Co.’s “America’s Best Driving Report,” released this week. The safest driving city in the country was Sioux Falls, S.D. where the… Continue Reading Springs makes its way onto Safest Driving City list

They weren’t about to wait for junk cars, old mattresses and weeds to rim their parking lots — or for seedy criminal elements, attracted by rundown conditions, to set up shop in vulnerable lower-rent apartments. Even during a tough economy, with 10 percent-plus vacancy rates and rents approaching 2001 levels in some cases, area landlords… Continue Reading Rental community takes lead on code enforcement fees